Tag: Jamie Newman opt-out

Kirby Smart releases statement on UGA QB Jamie Newman’s decision to opt-out of the 2020 CFB season

Read Georgia coach Kirby Smart’s statement regarding UGA QB Jamie Newman’s decision to opt-out of the 2020 CFB season here.

In unexpected news Wednesday, Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman decided to opt-out of the 2020 college football season, due to concerns amid the covid-19 pandemic and to prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

The NCAA is allowing players who are not comfortable playing during the pandemic to opt-out for the 2020 season. They are allowed to remain on scholarship and do not lose their year of eligibility if they chose to return.

Newman’s official statement:

After practice Wednesday afternoon, Georgia coach Kirby Smart released a statement regarding Newman’s decision to opt-out, saying he supports players who decide to sit because of safety concerns.

“One of the guiding principles of both the SEC and UGA return-to-play protocols has been the health and safety of our student-athletes.  We have emphasized continually that any student-athlete who decides to opt-out because of health and/or safety concerns related to COVID-19 would be fully supported to include honoring scholarships, access to academic facilities, etc., and would remain in good standing with the team.  While we will miss him being part of our program, I fully support Jamie’s decision and we will continue to regard him as a Georgia Bulldog.  Certainly we wish him nothing but the best in his quest for an NFL career and he knows he will always have a home at UGA.”

Smart has always been a players coach. From his tenure at Alabama as defensive coordinator to now, head coach in Athens.

In that sense, he knows that he has to support his players and that it impacts not only how his team feels about him now but also recruiting in the future, so no surprise here that Smart is backing Newman’s decision.

 

 

Jamie Newman explains why he’s opting out of the 2020 CFB season

Georgia football QB Jamie Newman releases statement explaining why he has decided to opt out of the 2020 CFB season.

Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman, who transferred to UGA from Wake Forest as a graduate senior this offseason, has opted out of the 2020 college football season.

Newman released a statement via Twitter just minutes after the news was spilled that he would be opting out.

“… due to the uncertainities of this year amid a global pandemic I will officially opt-out of this football season to prepare for the upcoming 2021 NFL Draft.” Newman said in his statement.

This was not the news that Georgia fans were expecting or hoped for.  The highly anticipated Jamie Newman era of UGA football has ended before it has even begun.

David Pollack reacts to Jamie Newman’s decision

Former Georgia football linebacker David Pollack reacts to UGA QB Jamie Newman’s decision to opt out of the 2020 CFB season.

Following the news of incoming graduate transfer quarterback Jamie Newman opting out of the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns, former Georgia All-American linebacker, and current ESPN college football analyst David Pollack has changed his pick of the Dawgs winning it all this year.

Pollack has been known to not be biased with his alma-matter but seems to have been all in on the Jamie Newman train.  With Newman now preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft and the quarterback position up in the air for Georgia, Pollack reverted to predicting Alabama or Clemson as the 2020 National Champions.

Newman completed 60.5 percent of his passes, throwing for 3,959 yards, 35 touchdowns and 16 interceptions in three seasons at Wake Forest. He also rushed for 826 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Now Kirby Smart and offensive coordinator Todd Monken will have to study their depth chart and see who is the next best pick to have under center in 2020.

Georgia football loses experience, play-making ability with quarterback Jamie Newman’s decision to opt-out of the 2020 CFB season

UGA quarterback Jamie Newman has decided to opt-out of the 2020 CFB season. How does Georgia replace his experience? Analysis here.

Just when things may be looking normal soon with the 2020 SEC football season just weeks away, Georgia suffers a huge blow to their offense, which was already facing a rebuild of sorts.

Bulldogs quarterback Jamie Newman decides to opt-out of the 2020 college football season.

Now, not only will Georgia be unveiling a different scheme under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken while working to replace four starters on the offensive line, but coach Smart and staff will also have to groom a new signal caller out of an inexperienced quarterback room.

I certainly don’t blame Newman for making a decision that he feels will be best for him in the long run.

The NCAA has granted athletes the option to opt-out, remain on scholarship and return for another year – extending eligibility for kids who feel  playing with the risks involved amid the Covid-19 pandemic outweigh the few reasons to play.

Newman has been projected to be drafted as high as the first-round of next year’s draft.

He trails only Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields as the highest-graded returning quarterback in college football, according to Pro Football Focus.

Newman was also named as the No. 1 quarterback in touchdown’s versus the blitz by PFF.

In 2019, at Wake Forest, Newman threw for 2,686 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while adding 574 yards on the ground with six rushing touchdowns.

Besides Newman’s play-making ability, experience is what the Bulldogs are losing – perhaps now the most glaring hole in Georgia’s 2020 offense.

USC transfer quarterback J.T. Daniels does have 2,672 yards and year under his belt at USC, but he will have to learn to make plays in high-pressure SEC games while proving himself to the Georgia lockeroom. And he still isn’t technically cleared to play yet – although he has practiced.

Redshirt freshman D’Wan Mathis is coming off of brain surgery in 2019, but has returned to football activities. Former Georgia star quarterback Aaron Murray recently said Mathis was extremely impressive when he saw him at a practice in 2018.

The Bulldogs quarterback competition will now be at the forefront of everyone’s minds, especially with such big time games early in Georgia’s SEC-only schedule.

After going to Arkansas and facing Tennessee in Athens, Georgia will face Kentucky, Auburn, Alabama and Florida in consecutive games. An incredibly tough stretch for any team – especially one with an inexperienced signal caller.

UGA QB depth chart following Jamie Newman opt out

Georgia football’s QB depth chart following the news of Jamie Newman opting out of the 2020 CFB season.

Georgia fans have been heavily anticipating the Wake Forest graduate transfer quarterback Jamie Newman since he announced he would be playing for UGA in the 2020 season.  Newman announced Wednesday that he will instead be opting out of the season due to COVID-19 concerns and will now prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.

This news was not expected, with the Bulldog’s season kickoff in Fayetteville, Arkansas just over three weeks away.

Now, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and offensive coordinator Todd Monken will have to scramble to have their next man up ready to go come September 26.

Here is a look at Georgia’s quarterback depth chart following the news of Newman opting out.

JT Daniels – RS Sophomore

The Bulldogs redshirt sophomore quarterback JT Daniels comes to UGA after spending the first two seasons of his career at USC. Daniels, the 5-star QB recruit, transferred from the Trojans following an ACL injury he suffered during the 2019 season opener. Daniels is still rehabbing the injury and isn’t fully cleared to play as of late Aug. 2020.

Daniels has an opportunity this season in Athens with the departure of Buffalo Bills quarterback Jake Fromm. He will likely compete with D’Wan Mathis and Carson Beck for the starting job when he is cleared. The NCAA granted him immediate illegibility on his transfer.

In three seasons at the Mater Dei High School, Daniels averaged more than 50 touchdown passes and 4,000 passing yards per season. Daniels was rated as the No. 3 quarterback in his recruiting class behind Trevor Lawrence and Justin Fields.

D’Wan Mathis – RS Freshman

Mathis came to UGA as the No. 11 quarterback in the 2019 class, flipping from his original commitment to Ohio State. Mathis was shocked when he found out he needed emergency brain surgery to remove a cyst on his brain last May.

The surgery took football out of the equation for Mathis in 2019, and it was possible he would never play again.  Just a year after his surgery, Mathis has been medically cleared for all football activities.

The 6-foot-6, 205 pounder has a very strong arm and shows great confidence, especially in the pocket. He steps up in the pocket with ease and moves very well while looking downfield. Mathis also has the speed and agility to spread the field and add another threat with his legs to opposing defenses.

Carson Beck – Freshman

Freshman quarterback Carson Beck enrolled early this year at UGA. Beck was a four-star recruit in the class of 2020. Additionally, before coming to Athens, Beck competed at the 2019 Elite 11 camp.

The Jacksonville, Florida native stands at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and is a complete pro-style quarterback.  Beck has all the physical tools to be successful in the SEC.  He has a powerful throwing arm, throwing his deep balls with a high arch, allowing his receivers to catch up to it.  Beck can also straighten his passes out to get to the ball to his receivers quickly when he needs to.

He shows a lot of confidence for a freshman and could seriously make a run as Georgia’s starter under center this season.

Stetson Bennett – Junior

Stetson Bennett came to Georgia in 2017 as a backup QB, eventually leaving for junior college in 2018.  That year at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi, Bennett lit it up, eventually deciding to return to Athens in 2019.

Bennett played a pivotal role for the Bulldogs in the 2017-18 season.  While preparing for Oklahoma in the 2018 Rose Bowl, Bennett played the role of former Sooners QB Baker Mayfield, trying to get the Dawgs defense ready for the Heisman Trophy winner.

“Stetson Bennett is a beast, man. Stetson Bennett … Stetson Bennett puts a lot of pressure on our defense.” said former Georgia defensive coordinator Mel Tucker.

Bennett showed glimpses of greatness during Georgia’s spring game in 2019 and will be a very solid backup in 2020.  He went 20 of 27 on his pass attempts last season and had a pair of touchdowns.

Twitter reacts to Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman’s decision to opt-out of the 2020 CFB season

Here is how UGA Twitter reacted to the recent news of Georgia quarterback Jamie Newman’s decision to opt-out of the 2020 CFB season.

Wow, that stings. Georgia’s new heralded gunslinger Jamie Newman has decided to opt-out of the 2020 college football season and will be preparing for the 2021 NFL Draft.

Can’t say I don’t blame him for doing so, but that doesn’t make it any easier to swollow.

We were excited to say the least when Newman chose to finish his collegiate career at Georgia. And all we’ve heard this summer is about how Newman was one of the top returning quarterbacks in college football, so losing him just weeks before the opening is disheartening.

Here is how UGA Twitter reacted to the recent news: